I was thinking recently that I have evolved my cooking to the point where I much prefer it to most restaurant food, which is often too greasy, sweet or salty for my taste. Although I think very few people outside my immediate family would agree. The downside is that it's very time consuming. I think it's a kind of a cyclical issue - you cook what you like, and become better and better at it, so you like it more and more. :)

I struggle with trying to find recipes that everyone in the family will eat. I often am not all that fond of what I cook, and it's not because I can't cook cook what I like, it's just that we wouldln't all be able to eat it. But, it does save me from pigging out at dinner LOL

I think it's probably something you notice more when you have a family, and there are more palates to please. :) But even with DH and me, we have certain items one of us likes and the other doesn't, so we will make both on the same night, or the other one will find something else to eat. For example, he likes zucchini and I like corn on the cob, so last night when he grilled us buffalo steak I made my veggie and he made his. Or he doesn't like spaghetti squash at all, so when he sees me prepare one he knows he's on his own for dinner for a few nights while I have it with tomato sauce and turkey meatballs. (My version of pasta that got me through this diet! LOL)

Khris, I guess that is the silver lining for you, in this situation with your daughter.

I mostly cook the vegetables that both I and my daughters like (My DH eats anything) but my oldest daughter finds plenty to dislike about my cooking!

Marianne - I agree that is is a cyle and you get better at cookng what you like.

How timely that you should post this, Anne! I was just wondering about how much healthier I eat now but still have trouble losing weight and came to the same conclusion as you. The food I cook is so well-suited to my taste that I overeat. This summer I have taken to starting all meals with salad or having raw vegetables to snack on while I am cooking.

I also like everything that I cook. (Why would I cook anything I didn't like?:)) Obviously I'm only cooking for myself and my boyfriend, so it's a little different than having kids to feed. We pretty much have the same tastes, though I'm a bit more adventurous than he is. When I went veg 18 months ago he was happy to go along with it, even though he still eats meat occasionally when we go out.

My mum has a saying about picky eaters- apparently, they're just "great cooks in the making". It has definitely proven true for my sister and me. I was super picky as a kid (still am in a way), but now I've just channelled all that attention to taste and texture into cooking! My sister is the same way, though she's more of a baker than a cook.

Though, like some of you, I definitely tend to overeat because of this. I'm trying to loose about 4 pounds and it's very tough going- I am very bad at "listening to my body", to know how much/when to feed it. I just love food so much, I'd eat it all if I could!

you've definitely got a point, because as a college student in the dorms i rarely overate (or ate at all sometimes - terrible dorm food!). once i got my own kitchen i started putting on weight because i was able to indulge in the foods my mother taught me to make that i love! i made teriyaki chicken last night with rice, and even though i knew i was full, i kept on going because the taste was so exactly what i wanted. sigh.

on the upside, at least being out of the dorms means i snack a lot less on unhealthy foods. there was a time when a meal could consist of pigging out on a bag of sour cream and cheddar ruffles while working on an assignment due in an hour...